HERDSA: Request for discussion

[Coral Watson]

Matthew Allen of Curtin University posts this message.  Reply to him
m_allen@spectrum.curtin.edu.au

Dear colleagues,

I am currently engaged in developing a 'guide' for staff at Curtin university on the use of Internet technologies in university teaching and learning; the aim of the guide will be to avoid prescriptive comments or even the helpful 'how to' approach and, instead, work staff through a series of 'key decision' moments in the planning, design, implementation and running of learning via the 'net.  The idea is that staff will need to become educated enough to make their own decisions about how and what to do with the Internet, rather than just following a checklist (otherwise, they won't actually 'own' and thus be able to develop, innovate and maintain their use of the net).
 
Two suggestions:

first, if anyone is working along similar lines, would it be possible for you to mail me privately so we can share resources, ideas

second, may I stimulate some public debate on the list itself by asking for people's responses to the following..:
 
"Complex careful programs of 'transition' from traditional patterns of learning to new ones based in part or in whole on Internet technologies won't work: it would be better to just 'shovel' the stuff we already do onto the Internet, and then work out, bit by bit over the years, what we should be doing".

Thanks
Matt

Dr Matthew Allen
Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences and Asian Languages
Curtin University, Perth, Australia
m_allen@spectrum.curtin.edu.au